Information processing apparatus and output switching control method

ABSTRACT

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a display, a connector which outputs a video signal, a display driver which controls output of a video signal to the display and connector, a monitoring unit which monitors whether a partner switches an input from a video signal output from the connector to another video signal, the partner being connected to the connector, and an output switching unit which instructs the display driver to switch the output destination of the video signal from the connector to the display when the monitoring unit detects that the input of the partner is switched to the other video signal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-204609, filed Aug. 6, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

One embodiment of the invention relates to a video signal output control technique that is preferably applied to a personal computer including a motion picture playback function capable of transmitting a video signal to a television broadcast receiver, for example.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, personal computers including functions of permitting users to receive and view television broadcasting program data and play back audiovisual (AV) content stored on Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs) have become widely used. Thus, motion picture data (containing audio) can be utilized while the user is moving or in a position where he has gone to if the user carries a notebook personal computer that can be battery powered, for example. Further, recently, the quality of a video motion picture is further enhanced and personal computers capable of playing back high-definition motion picture data stored in recording media complying with the High-Definition (HD) DVD standard start to be widely used. Generally, this type of personal computer has a mechanism of outputting a high-definition video signal to the exterior and, for example, the user can enjoy a high-definition video motion picture played back by the personal computer on a large-screen high-definition television broadcast receiver by connecting the personal computer to the large-screen high-definition television broadcast receiver when he is at home, for example.

The number of application configurations in which a plurality of electronic devices each having a function of playing back motion picture data and audio data are connected each other, for example, the above personal computer is connected to the television broadcast receiver is increased. Therefore, for example, various proposals for efficiently switching sources are made (for example, refer to Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. H7-192443).

Generally the television broadcast receiver includes a plurality of input systems and is designed to select a desired motion picture to be displayed by a simple operation. Therefore, in a case where the motion picture output destination of the personal computer connected to a television broadcast receiver is limited only to the television broadcast receiver, a display motion picture is kept disappeared until the user performs some operation if a to-be-input object of the television broadcast receiver is switched to a motion picture other than the motion picture from the personal computer even though the personal computer is being operated. At this time, the state in which the display motion picture is not displayed anywhere is maintained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A general architecture that implements the various feature of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing an application configuration of an information processing apparatus (personal computer) according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are exemplary views for schematically illustrating a video signal output switching control operation performed by the information processing apparatus of the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram showing the configuration of the information processing apparatus of the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram showing a function block associated with the video signal output switching control operation realized in the information processing apparatus of the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flowchart showing the operation procedure of the video signal output switching control operation performed by the information processing apparatus of the embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is an exemplary flowchart showing the operation procedure of a video signal output switching control operation (modification) performed by the information processing apparatus of the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments according to the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In general, according to one embodiment of the invention, an information processing apparatus, includes a display, a connector which outputs a video signal, a display driver which controls output of a video signal to the display and connector, a monitoring unit which monitors whether a partner switches an input from a video signal output from the connector to another video signal, the partner being connected to the connector, and an output switching unit which instructs the display driver to switch the output destination of the video signal from the connector to the display when the monitoring unit detects that the input of the partner is switched to the other video signal.

In FIG. 1, one example of the application configuration of an information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment is shown. The information processing apparatus 1 is realized as a notebook personal computer (PC), for example.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, a case wherein the information processing apparatus 1 is connected to a video apparatus 2 via a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable A is assumed. The video apparatus 2 is a large-screen high-definition television broadcast receiver (TV). In the information processing apparatus 1, various software programs (application programs) used to play back high-definition data are installed and the user can enjoy a high-definition motion picture played back by the application programs by use of the video apparatus 2 by connecting the same via the HDMI cable A. Further, the information processing apparatus 1 and video apparatus 2 which are connected via the HDMI cable A can transmit various types of commands to each other to control the operations of the connected partners.

Next, the mechanism of switching output destinations of a video signal provided by the information processing apparatus 1 (in response to a motion picture input switching operation of the video apparatus 2) at an adequate time is schematically explained with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, a case wherein a video motion picture played back by the information processing apparatus 1 is displayed by use of the video apparatus 2 (without displaying the motion picture on a display of the information processing apparatus 1 side) is assumed. Further, it is assumed that a motion picture input to the video apparatus 2 is switched to a motion picture other than the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 when the playback operation of AV content is terminated, for example.

In this case, for example, a video motion picture of a switched destination of a television broadcasting program is newly displayed on the video apparatus 2. However, if no operation is performed, the information processing apparatus 1 displays no motion picture although it is being operated. The display motion picture of the information processing apparatus does not appear anywhere. Therefore, a design is made to automatically switch a video signal output of the information processing apparatus 1 into a display mode as shown in FIG. 2B in the above case.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram showing the configuration of the information processing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the information processing apparatus 1 includes a CPU 11, north bridge 12, main memory 13, graphics controller 14, VRAM 14A, display 15, south bridge 16, BIOS-ROM 17, hard disk drive (HDD) 18, magnet-optical disk drive (ODD) 19, sound controller 20, speaker 21, embedded controller/keyboard controller (EC/KBC) 22, keyboard 23, touch pad 24, network controller 25, high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) connector 26, consumer electronics control (CEOC: device-device bidirectional) controller 27 and the like.

The CPU 11 is a processor that controls the operations of the respective portions in the information processing apparatus 1. The CPU 11 executes an operating system (OS) 100 that is loaded from the HDD 18 into the main memory 13 and various programs, that is executed under the control of the OS 100, containing utilities and an application that deals with AV content. As one of the utilities, a motion picture output automatic switching utility 101 which will be described later is present. Further, the CPU 11 executes a basic input/output system (BIOS) stored in the BIOS-ROM 17. In the following explanation, the basic input/output system itself stored in the BIOS-ROM 17 is referred to as the BIOS 17 in some cases.

The north bridge 12 is a bridge device that connects the local bus of the CPU 11 with the south bridge 16. The north bridge 12 has a function of communicating with the graphics controller 14 via a bus and contains a memory controller that controls access to the main memory 13. The graphics controller 14 is a display controller that controls the display 15 on the information processing apparatus 1 side. The graphics controller 14 generates a video signal to be output to the display 15 based on motion picture data written into the VRAM 14A. Further, the graphics controller 14 has a function of outputting the video signal to the exterior from the HDMI connector 26.

The south bridge 16 is a controller that controls various devices on a PCI bus and LPC bus. Further the south bridge 16 is directly connected to the BIOS-ROM 17, HDD 18, ODD 19 and sound controller 20 and has a function of controlling the above portions. For example, television broadcasting program data and AV content and the like downloaded via the Internet are stored in the HDO 18 and an HD DVD that stores AV content is received in the ODD 19, for example. The sound controller 20 is a sound source controller that controls the speaker 21. The sound controller 20 has a function of outputting an audio signal to the exterior from the HDMI connector 26.

The EC/KBC 22 is a one-chip microcomputer obtained by integrating an embedded controller for power management and a keyboard controller that controls the keyboard 23 and touch pad 24. The network controller 25 is a communication device that communicates with an external network such as Internet, for example. The EC/KBC 22 is operated while the power source of the information processing apparatus 1 is kept off and monitors whether the power source ON operation is performed or not, for example. Then, if an event suggesting that the power source is turned on occurs, it performs the control operation to activate the information processing apparatus 1. Further, the EC/KBC 22 continuously supplies power to the CEC controller 27 while the power source of the information processing apparatus 1 is kept off.

The HDMI connector 26 is a terminal to which the HDMI cable A is detachably connected. The CEC controller 27 performs a data transmission control operation to transmit various commands for operation control via the HDMI connector 26 under the control of the EC/KBC 22. As one of the events for turning on the power source that is monitored by the EC/KBC 22, an event of receiving a power source on request command by the CEC controller 27 is present. The CEC controller 27 has a function of notifying a state change occurring in the controller itself as a status.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram showing a function block associated with a video signal output destination switching control operation realized in the information processing apparatus 1 with the above configuration.

If an operation of switching a video input motion picture from the information processing apparatus 1 to another motion picture on the video apparatus 2 side, the state change is transmitted as a status to the information processing apparatus 1 via the HDMI cable. The status is guided into the information processing apparatus 1 via the HDMI connector 26 and received by the CEC controller 27 and reception of the command is notified to the EC/KBC 22.

When receiving the notification, the EC/KBC 22 generates a key code indicating the notification contents as input data addressed to the motion picture output automatic switching utility 101. The key code is transmitted to the OS 100 via the BIOS 17 and is further transmitted to the motion picture output automatic switching utility 101 from the OS 100.

The motion picture output automatic switching utility 101 is a program provided to automatically switch the output destination of the video signal from the HDMI connector 26 to the display 15 in response to a motion picture input switching operation on the video apparatus 2 side. The motion picture output automatic switching utility 101 is registered as a resident program that is always executed when the power source of the information processing apparatus 1 is set on.

The motion picture output automatic switching utility 101 that is the resident program has a TV output state monitoring module 101 and an output destination switching control module 1012. When a notification of the status associated with the state change in the video apparatus 2 is received from the OS 100, the TV output state monitoring module 1011 checks whether or not an input motion picture is switched from the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 to another motion picture.

If the input motion picture is switched from the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 to another motion picture, that is, if it is detected that the input motion picture in the video apparatus 2 is switched from the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 to another motion picture, the TV output state monitoring module 1011 notifies the output destination switching control module 1012 to that effect.

The output destination switching control module 1012 receiving the notification gives an instruction of switching the output destination of the video signal from the HDMI connector 26 to the display 15 to the graphics driver 1001. As a result, it becomes possible to prevent occurrence of the state in which the information processing apparatus 1 displays nothing even though it is being operated and the display motion picture does not appear anywhere.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flowchart showing the operation procedure of the video signal output switching control operation performed by the information processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment.

When a certain state change occurs on the video apparatus 2 side, the TV output state monitoring module 1011 that receives a notification of a status indicating the state change from the OS 100 first checks whether or not the status is associated with the motion picture input switching operation on the video apparatus 2 side (block A1).

If it is associated with the motion picture input switching operation (YES in block A1), then the TV output state monitoring module 1011 checks whether or not the input motion picture is switched from the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 to another motion picture (block A2). If the input motion picture is switched from the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 to another motion picture (YES in block A2), the TV output state monitoring module 1011 notifies the output destination switching control module 1012 to that effect.

Then, the output destination switching control module 1012 receiving the notification gives an instruction of switching the output destination of the video signal from the HDMI connector 26 to the display 15 to the graphics driver 1001 (block A3).

On the other hand, if the input motion picture in the video apparatus 2 is switched from a motion picture other than the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 to the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1, it seems that a command that requests that the output destination of the video signal is actively switched from the video apparatus 2 side to its own apparatus (video apparatus 2) is transmitted in addition to the status indicating the state change. Therefore, it is possible to switch the output destination of the video signal to the video apparatus 2 side at the time of reception of the command. However, it is useful to preparatively switch the output destination of the video motion picture to the video apparatus 2 side in the information processing apparatus 1 at the time of notification of the status indicating the state change without entirely depending on the control operation of the other apparatuses. FIG. 6 is an exemplary flowchart showing the operation procedure of a video signal output switching control operation performed by the information processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment in the above case.

When a certain state change occurs on the video apparatus 2 side, the TV output state monitoring module 1011 that receives a notification of a status indicating the state change from the OS 100 first checks whether or not the status is associated with a motion picture input switching operation on the video apparatus 2 side (block B1).

If it is associated with the motion picture input switching operation (YES in block B1), then the TV output state monitoring module 1011 checks whether or not the input motion picture is switched from the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 to another motion picture (block B2). If the input motion picture is switched from the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 to another motion picture (YES in block B2), the TV output state monitoring module 1011 notifies the output destination switching control module 1012 to that effect. Then, the output destination switching control module 1012 receiving the notification gives an instruction of switching the output destination of the video signal from the HDMI connector 26 to the display 15 to the graphics driver 1001 (block B3).

On the other hand, if the input motion picture is switched from a motion picture other than the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 to the motion picture of the information processing apparatus 1 (NO in block B2), the TV output state monitoring module 1011 notifies the output destination switching control module 1012 to that effect. Then, the output destination switching control module 1012 receiving the notification gives an instruction of switching the output destination of the video signal from the display 15 to the HDMI connector 26 to the graphics driver 1001 (block B4).

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the output destination of the video signal is switched at adequate timing in response to a motion picture input switching operation of the video apparatus 2 connected via the HDMI cable A.

While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions. 

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a display; a connector which outputs a video signal; a display driver which controls output of a video signal to the display and the connector; a monitoring unit configured to monitor whether a partner switches an input from a video signal output from the connector to another video signal, the partner being connected to the connector; and an output switching unit configured to instruct the display driver to switch the output destination of the video signal from the connector to the display when the monitoring unit detects that the input of the partner is switched to the other video signal.
 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a command communication unit configured to communicate various commands for operation control and various statuses indicating operation states via the connector, wherein the monitoring unit detects that the input of the partner is switched to the other video signal based on the status received by the command communication unit.
 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output switching unit instructs the display driver when the video signal is output only from the connector.
 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connector is detachably connected to a high-definition-multimedia interface (HDMI) cable.
 5. An output switching control method of an information processing apparatus including a display and a connector which outputs a video signal, the method comprising: monitoring whether a partner switches an input from a video signal output from the connector to another video signal; and switching an output destination of the video signal from the connector to the display with detection of the switch the input of the partner to the other video signal. 